Overview
Introduction
Also known by its Basque name of Donostia, the beautiful city of San Sebastian, Spain, is picturesque, expensive and one of the most fashionable spots to spend the summer.
Long the chosen summer escape for kings, political figures and celebrities (especially during its international movie festival week in September), San Sebastian is by far the most elegant coastal town in Spain. Belle epoque mansions, palaces and stylish apartments line the waterfront, placing it more on a level with Biarritz and Cannes than mass-market Benidorm or Torremolinos.
It's not cheap, but considering what it offers, you wouldn't expect it to be. Basque cuisine is considered the best in the whole peninsula. In the pintxo bars of the narrow-laned Parte Vieja (Old Quarter) and intimate harbor area, you can sample local fare—especially seafood—at its finest and most inventive. But San Sebastian is also a homely, relaxing, pedestrian-friendly town where you can bike along trails beside the Urumea River and take leisurely walks along the verdant coast overlooking the scenic Bay of Biscay.
Must See or Do
Sights—Taking the funicular to the top of the Monte Igueldo headland for the best views of La Concha Bay and the Vizcayan coast.
Museums—Basque art and ethnography at the San Telmo Museoa, located inside a former 16th-century convent.
Memorable Meals—Top Basque specialties such as bacalao (cod) at Arzak; the best pintxos (Basque tapas) in town at Bar Asador Ganbara.
Late Night—Live jazz performances in an intimate cellar setting at Altxerri JazzBar.
Walks—Walking the winding path past verdant vegetation from the top of Monte Igueldo past the lighthouse down to the western end of La Concha beach; enjoying a scenic walk up to Monte Urgull; wandering the narrow-laned Parte Vieja (Old Quarter)
Especially for Kids—The Palacio del Mar Aquarium with its transparent walkway through a tank full of sharks, squids and rays.